Audition season is right around the corner and if you want to be your best, early preparation is key! To be selected as a dancer on a Pro Team, so many elements must be present! I have danced for three teams in the DFW area and can honestly say, even though the dance styles may differ, the same key elements go into making whatever team you are interested in.
I’m wholly invested in women empowering each other and helping each other out, so if these tips helped me, I hope they will do the same for you! You have a Pro dance team dream? Great! Let’s make that dream a reality!
You must be:
A.) able to pick up choreography quickly, and be able to match the style. The number of games you will perform at differs from team to team, but they all require a dedication to practicing and mastering the choreography so that your team’s performance will be amazing! As a member of a team, you have a responsibility to your director(s) and teammates to know the dance and be able to perform it without memory mistakes. This means practicing until it’s perfect! I cannot count the times my friends and I meet up outside of scheduled practices to perfect our dances on our own. We study videos and practice until we know the choreography perfectly and can perform it like our choreographer demonstrates. THAT is a huge tip, too. There are plenty of times to make the choreography your own, and your directors will tell you when. However, as a member of a team, you want to make sure you all look like a team. If one person looks like she is doing something drastically different, it may throw off the performance your choreographer envisioned and the crowd might think it’s a mistake. Don’t be that person ;).
To prepare now, get into as many dance classes as you can to practice quickly picking up choreography, even the ones that are challenging for you. Scratch that- ESPECIALLY the ones that are challenging for you. That’s the only way to get better! Look up the team’s website that you are interested in and see when they offer their own prep classes, as well. It’s a great way to gain familiarity with the style, meet the people already on the team, and get noticed!
B.) Stop marking it! Ok, I totally understand sometimes we practice so much we just need to mark it a time or two. However, the more you practice dancing full out, the better equipped you will be to perform an entire game! Endurance is essential. Marking it too often worries me because you want to have the muscle memory of doing it how you will perform. Once you’re on the court, sidelines, rink, field, or wherever, you don’t want to be worrying about memory. Have that dance so ingrained in your body that you can just concentrate on the performance! And perform BIG! You need to be fun to watch! Have a blast and make the judges and crowd want to watch you. Treat every class and practice like it’s game day and practice performing full out. I promise that will make your life so much easier!
To prepare: Get your body and health on point for maximum endurance! Performing full out for the whole game can be tiring, but you are there to rev up the crowd! You need to be excited, smiling, and fun to watch! You also need about 1000x more energy than you think! Take as many dance and workout classes as you can. It will not only ensure you look the part, but feel the part, too!
C.) You are dancing and working out a lot to prepare for these teams, and even more so when you are on these teams! You need to be fueling your body with good nutrition. I have always been interested in maintaining a pretty healthy diet, but quickly realized that may look different as a performer. You need a lot of food to sustain you– but the right kinds of food! I know so many fad diets may be tempting because they promise some kind of secret and quick result, but those won’t do you any favors as a performer. I was eating the right kinds of food, but seemingly not enough when I performed my first pre-season game with the NBA. I realized how much energy is required to perform that hyped up and full out for an entire game. If I didn’t load up on the right kinds of energy-sustaining foods, it would be pretty hard to amp up my energy levels fourth quarter (so important!!). You can bet that was the last time I made that mistake!
To prepare: Take an interest in your nutrition and make sure you are getting the right amount of food for your body! Less food does NOT mean thinner, I promise! I eat more of the RIGHT foods to sustain my energy levels and I’ve gotten even fitter. Some tips that have helped me: Don’t let the amount of food scare you. Protein is your friend and will help support muscle mass. Healthy fats are essential. Meet with a nutritionist if you are able to and discuss what you, as a performer, need. Research on your own, there are so many quick and easy recipes that don’t compromise taste but will support a healthy, active lifestyle!
You absolutely can make your dreams come true if you are willing to work hard, commit yourself to learning and growing, and perform your passion when the time comes to strut your stuff! I can’t wait to see you all at dance classes and workouts!
Follow Kelli on Instagram: @tinydancerkqs and Twitter: @AAIA_Kelli
